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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25401982">Treasure of Time</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AgentDeathblade/pseuds/AgentDeathblade'>AgentDeathblade</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Lupin III</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, This fic has talks of self-harm and depictions of suicide</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 02:48:38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,327</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25401982</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AgentDeathblade/pseuds/AgentDeathblade</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After stealing a mystical emerald, the Lupin Gang and Zenigata get stuck in a time loop and are forced to relive the same day over and over again.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Arsene Lupin III &amp; Daisuke Jigen &amp; Goemon Ishikawa XIII &amp; Fujiko Mine &amp; Koichi Zenigata, The Lupin Gang friendship!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Day One</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“The Emerald of Time. So called, because legend has it, that emerald can tell the past and future.” Lupin says, driving the Fiat on the way to their heist.</p><p>“I sense bullshit.” Jigen says, looking at a picture of the emerald. </p><p>“I agree!” Fujiko grabs the picture from him. “How will a small emerald know our pasts and futures?” </p><p>“That’s why it’s a legend, dear Fuji-cakes.” Lupin suddenly hits the brakes, jolting everyone from their seats. “WE’RE HERE!” </p><p>They’ve arrived at the place. The location that houses this emerald is just a simple cave. Nothing really spectacular about it. </p><p>“I find it hard to believe that such a powerful gem would be in a simple cave.” Goemon looks at the cave, kind of disappointed. </p><p>“It still could be booby trapped, so be prepared.” Lupin says, determined to get the gem. He gets out of the car and starts to enter the cave. The others follow suit. Unbeknownst to them, one Inspector Zenigata has followed them on a motorbike. </p><p>“What could you possibly want in this cave, Lupin?” Zenigata asks himself while entering the cave.</p>
<hr/><p>Half an hour has passed and the gang (and Zenigata) continue walking in a seemingly never ending cave.</p><p>“Seems like we got the wrong cave.” Jigen says, lighting a cigarette.</p><p>“We’re almost there. I can feel it.” Lupin is pretty bored, but undeterred. He’s <em> very </em>sure this is the right cave.</p><p>“We’ve been walking for 30 minutes yet we haven’t triggered any traps. Isn’t that kind of suspicious?” Goemon looks around, trying to find traps, yet, there’s <em> nothing. </em></p><p>“Maybe a bunch of explorers went through them for us.” Fujiko shrugs off the samurai’s very valid comment. </p><p>They reach the end of the cave. At the end, there are huge closed doors made of rocks, like the ones you see in adventure movies.</p><p>“Finally! A challenge!” Lupin looks alive. “Quick, someone look for ways to open these doors!”</p><p>“What about this lever?” Goemon points at the lever beside the door. </p><p>Lupin’s face changes from happy to annoyed. He pulls the lever and the doors open.</p><p>This heist was too easy for them, but treasure is treasure. Gems, jewels, gold, and silver adorn the treasure room. Their glow is bright and beautiful. In the middle of the room is the Emerald of Time. They enter the room in awe and walk towards the emerald. </p><p>“I sense a bad aura in this room.” Goemon says, looking around the room, but the others were too busy being amazed by the room.</p><p>“So this is the Emerald of Time.” Lupin grabs it, waiting for a trap to happen, but instead, he’s met with…</p><p>“LUPIIIIIN!” A voice yells out and enters the room. The gang turns around and are met with a very familiar face.</p><p>“POPS?!” The gang yells out together. They can’t believe they didn’t notice Zenigata following them.  </p><p>“So you guys were gonna steal the treasures in this room, huh?” </p><p>“Nobody seems to own them.” Lupin replies back, putting the emerald in his jacket pocket. “Anyway, we better get going. Toodles!”</p><p>The gang makes a break for it with Zenigata chasing them. They make it to the Fiat and drive away. </p><p>“That was the easiest heist we’ve ever done.” Jigen says, pretty confused.</p><p>“We should’ve stolen more treasures!” Fujiko interjects.</p><p>“Maybe we can go back tomorrow and get more. There were no traps after all.” Lupin suggests. </p><p>The thief revs up the car and gives a car chase to lose Zenigata off their tail. He takes the Fiat on different and unusual routes and often busy highways to lose the inspector. It takes an hour or so, but they finally lose Zenigata—because good ol’ Pops ran out of gas. Lupin finally drives them back to the hideout.</p><p>“A pretty successful heist, if I say so myself.” Lupin sets the emerald on a table. They sit on the couch, waiting for the emerald to do <em> something. </em></p><p>“So, how do we get this thing to work?” Fujiko looks at the gem. “How will this thing say our past or future?” </p><p>“I don’t know. I guess we ask it?” </p><p>“I still think that emerald is a bad idea.” Goemon says. “That entire treasure room just gave off this bad aura.”</p><p>“What do you mean, Goemon?” Jigen asks, slightly worried. </p><p>“I don’t know. I just--”</p><p>“Feel bad vibes, I get it. Okay, fine. We’ll leave the gem alone for tonight and we’ll try to work this tomorrow.” Lupin stretches and yawns. “Besides, I’m tired. Night.” </p><p>The thief retires for the night and goes to bed. Jigen and Fujiko agree and they too go to bed. Goemon takes one last look at the gem before going to his room. </p>
<hr/><p>Lupin’s phone alarms, waking him up. He looks at his phone. Time: 7:30am. Date: February 2nd. He does a double take and looks at the date.</p><p><em> Wasn’t it February 2nd yesterday? </em>He thought to himself. He shrugs it off. His phone’s calendar might be broken. He gets up and walks to the living room, excited to try out the gem’s powers, but when he gets to the room, the gem’s not on the table. </p><p>“JIGEN!” Lupin <em> slams </em>Jigen’s door open, jolting the gunman awake. "WHERE DID YOU HIDE THE EMERALD?!” </p><p>“Why the hell are you asking me?! Ask Goemon! He’s the one who was like ‘Oh this gem has a bad aura!’ or something like that!’” </p><p>Lupin thinks about it and agrees. “Good point.”</p><p>Jigen throws a pillow at Lupin. “Let me friggin’ SLEEP.”</p><p>“SORRY!” Lupin closes Jigen’s door and runs to Goemon’s room. He opens the door and sees the samurai meditating. </p><p>“What’d you do with the gem?”</p><p>“I didn’t do anything with it. I have not left my room.” Goemon replies, not breaking away from his meditation.</p><p>“Riiiight. I guess I’ll ask Fujiko.”</p><p>Just around the time Lupin said that, Fujiko can be heard yelling, asking where’s the emerald. Lupin turns back to Goemon, “I guess she doesn’t know where it is either.”</p><p>A knock can be heard on the front door. Fujiko answers it and Zenigata comes barging in their hideout. </p><p>“LUPIIIIIN!”</p><p>Lupin, Jigen, and Goemon run to the living room and are met with a very angry Zenigata and a confused Fujiko. Zenigata shows the date on his phone. “HOW THE HELL IS IT FEBRUARY 2ND AGAIN?!”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Nobody Cares</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Zenigata shows the date on his phone. "HOW THE HELL IS IT FEBRUARY 2ND AGAIN?!"</p>
<p>“WHAT?!” Jigen runs back to his room to check his phone and runs back out, showing Zenigata the date. “IT IS FEBRUARY 2ND! HOW?!”</p>
<p>Fujiko checks her phone as well while Goemon checks the calendar hanging in the kitchen and both confirm it is most <em> definitely </em>the same date. </p>
<p>“I guess my phone’s calendar isn’t broken.” Lupin says sheepishly.</p>
<p>“Lupin, what the hell is happening?!” Zenigata <em> demands </em>an answer. The others also look at Lupin for an answer. </p>
<p>Lupin sits around and thinks for a bit. Then it hits him. “The Emerald of Time tells your past and future. I don’t think it meant our <em> personal </em> pasts and futures. I think...in a nutshell...the Emerald of Time puts you in a time loop. Reliving the same day over and over again is basically your past <em> and </em> future.”</p>
<p>“But Pops didn’t touch that emerald, yet he’s still repeating the same day.” Jigen notes this <em> important </em>observation to Lupin.</p>
<p>“Maybe Goemon was right and it was the treasure room itself that did this. We all entered it, after all.” Lupin replies back.</p>
<p>Goemon looks at everyone and addresses the room. “Then I was right and you all should have listened to me...except you, Zenigata, you’re excused.”</p>
<p>“Now what do we do?” Fujiko asks.</p>
<p>An awkward silence fills the room as they try to figure out what to do with their situation.</p>
<p>“Maybe this is just a do-over!” Lupin breaks the silence with his theory. “Maybe, we’ll get back to our normal lives if we <em> don’t </em> steal the emerald today!” </p>
<p>“Makes sense.” Jigen sits down and turns the TV on. </p>
<p>“Okay, cancel everything we were supposed to do today.” Lupin sits beside Jigen and looks at Zenigata. “You can stay too, Pops!”</p>
<p>“Not so fast, Lupin!” The inspector cuffs Lupin. “You’re coming with me!”</p>
<p>“If we are in a time loop, Pops, then this arrest would be meaningless.” </p>
<p>“I don’t care! I still got you, Lupin!” Zenigata laughs at his easy arrest. </p>
<p>Lupin shrugs. “Okay, I’ll humor you.” </p>
<p>Lupin and Zenigata walk out the door, Zenigata being especially excited since he’s arrested Lupin.</p>
<p>Jigen, Goemon, and Fujiko look at each other, confused on what they’re supposed to do and at the strange turn of events.</p>
<p>Jigen looks at the people left in the room. “So...if the time loop breaks tonight, we’re breaking Lupin out of jail, right?” </p>
<p>Goemon and Fujiko nod and answer at the same time.</p>
<p>“Yes.”<br/>
“Definitely.”</p>
<p>“I guess we wait for the day to end.” Jigen, of course, lights a cigarette. </p>
<p>Fujiko and Goemon sit on the couch and watch TV with Jigen.</p>
<p>The day goes by pretty slowly and it eventually turns into late night. </p>
<p>“Tomorrow is the moment of truth, I guess.” Fujiko yawns as she walks to her room. “Night!”</p>
<p>Goemon walks to his room and Jigen opts to stay on the couch for the night. In jail, Lupin’s preparing to sleep with the hopes of waking up in his own bed.</p><hr/>
<p>Lupin’s phone alarms, waking him up. He looks at his phone. Time: 7:30am. Date: February 2nd. It takes him a while to realize it, but he’s back on his bed. He runs out of his room and straight to Jigen’s room.</p>
<p>“JIGEN!” Lupin <em> slams </em>the door open, jolting Jigen awake. </p>
<p>“WHAT THE HELL, LUPIN?!” Jigen yells at the thief...then it hits him. He sits up and points at his friend. “Lupin?!”</p>
<p>“I’m not in jail! I woke up on my bed.” Lupin says, his voice is a mix of happiness and worry.</p>
<p>“So, it’s still February 2nd.” </p>
<p>“Yup.” </p>
<p>“Well, we’re fucked.” Jigen lies back down and covers himself with the blanket. “Leave me alone. I need to process this.”</p>
<p>Lupin walks to the living room and lies on the couch, still in disbelief that they’re stuck in a time loop. He forces himself to fall asleep again. No use of being awake today if tomorrow will be <em> exactly </em>the same. </p>
<p>Hours pass and Lupin wakes up at 10pm. “I need a drink.” He says aloud. Jigen hands him a bottle of beer and Lupin chugs it like there’s no tomorrow--oh wait. </p>
<p>“Wanna go out for drinks?” Jigen asks him.</p>
<p>“Hell yeah.” Lupin gets off the couch and gets his jacket. </p>
<p>“You’re wearing your pajamas to the bar?” Jigen questions his friend’s fashion choice.</p>
<p>“Nobody’s gonna remember, anyway.” Lupin says, finger gunning Jigen. “Let’s go!” He runs out of the door with Jigen following him.</p><hr/>
<p>The two stop the car outside the nearest bar they could find. They enter the busy and crowded place and find a nice, kind of isolated table at the corner of the bar; it’s a perfect spot for them to discuss this pretty insane thing they’re going through. </p>
<p>“I’ll get us drinks.” Lupin leaves the table.</p>
<p>Three minutes later, he comes back with a tray full of alcohol: 2 bottles of beers, 2 glasses of wine, bourbon, whiskey, and vodka. </p>
<p>“That’s a shitton of drinks.” Jigen says while helping Lupin put the drinks on the table.</p>
<p>“We are gonna need them all, or maybe even more, my dear Jigen.” Lupin sits on the table and starts drinking the vodka. Jigen shrugs and gets the bourbon and starts to drink it. Lupin downs the entire glass within seconds and goes straight for the next drink.</p>
<p>“So, what do we do about this time loop?” Jigen asks. </p>
<p>“How should I know? I’m as lost as any of you.” Lupin replies. “Oh yeah, where are Fujiko and Goemon?”</p>
<p>“Fujiko said she wanted to walk around town. Goemon went <em> somewhere </em>to meditate.” </p>
<p>“I guess Goemon has all the time in the world to train and meditate now. Literally. What about Pops?"</p>
<p>"He didn't visit today." </p>
<p>"I guess he's processing that today and tomorrow and everyday will be February 2nd.” Lupin slams the bottle of beer on the table. “Jigen, I propose a toast.”</p>
<p>“To what?” Jigen’s kind of confused, but he excuses it that Lupin might be drunk already.</p>
<p>“To our new lives.” Lupin raises the glass of wine. </p>
<p>“I don’t think that’s something to celebrate about?” </p>
<p>“Just raise your stupid wine glass and toast!” Lupin answers back a bit loudly.</p>
<p>Jigen does exactly that and the thieves clink their glasses to their new lives.</p><hr/>
<p>Hours pass and Lupin and Jigen are done drinking after four rounds of <em> every drink </em>Lupin ordered in the first round. They stagger back outside and to their car. Lupin starts up the car.</p>
<p>“We’re way too drunk to be driving.” Jigen says.</p>
<p>“Leave it to me! I’m an <em> amazing </em>driver after all.” Lupin replies back, clearly drunk. </p>
<p>“What if we hit someone, huh?” At least Jigen still has some working brain cells left.</p>
<p>“Like I said, <em> amazing driver.” </em></p>
<p>Lupin hits the gas, but starts to speed to get back to the hideout quickly. Unfortunately for him, this attracted the attention of a patrol car, which started to follow them. Jigen sees the cops in the mirror and starts getting Lupin’s attention. “I think they’re telling us to pull over.” The thief acknowledges him, but instead of pulling over, he gives out his usual cat smile.</p>
<p>“The night has JUST BEGUN!” Lupin floors it and gives a car chase to the cops trailing behind them. Jigen fastens his seatbelt and holds the grab handle since the one driving the car is very much drunk. Impressively, Lupin is still a great driver, even while drunk and gives the cops quite a chase, even if he’s just circling around the town. However, this fun comes to an end when Lupin accidentally drives into a post. He sheepishly smiles at Jigen while they get out of the now wrecked Fiat. The cops arrest the two men and drive them to jail.</p>
<p>Lupin rests his head on Jigen’s shoulder and chuckles. “Imagine the non-existent headline, Jigen. <em> Master Thief Lupin the 3rd Arrested for Drunk Driving. </em>” </p>
<p>Even Jigen can’t help but chuckle at that thought. “And Pops wasn’t even the one who arrested you, too.” </p>
<p>“Right. If he could hear me, sorry, Pops, I’ll make it up to you next time.”</p>
<p>After arriving in jail, Lupin and Jigen are just happy that they finally have a place to crash for the night and sleep contentedly in their cell.</p>
<p>The night ends and Lupin’s phone alarms, waking him up. He looks at his phone. Time: 7:30am. Date: February 2nd.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Stuck</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As usual, Lupin runs to Jigen’s room and wakes the gunslinger via the sound of a door slamming open. </p><p>“JIGEN!” Lupin’s pretty bouncy this morning.</p><p>“WHAT?!” Jigen is ready to throw his pillow at Lupin again.</p><p>“Do you have a hangover? Because I don’t!”</p><p>Jigen sits up and is about to yell at Lupin to shut up since they got drunk last night, but he realizes that he doesn’t have a headache from drinking too much. “Holy shit. I don’t have a hangover either.”</p><p>“Do you know what this means, Jigen?” Lupin’s way too hyperactive and runs back to his room before he could even answer his own question, leaving Jigen to wonder what the hell he means. Jigen covers himself with the blanket again, tired of Lupin’s bullshit.</p>
<hr/><p>Lunchtime at Casa de Thieves and Lupin’s not only cooking lunch, but an idea as well. After a few minutes of cooking, he calls everyone to lunch and finally starts to discuss his idea.</p><p>“You never answered me when you woke me up.” Jigen says. </p><p>“Sorry, so, I have a plan on how we can make the best of this time loop!”</p><p>“You’re not going to find a way out of it?” Fujiko asks a very important and valid question.</p><p>“I will. Soon. But--”</p><p>Goemon interrupts the thief. “It’s no use. I went back to the cave and tried to find a way out of this loop. I even tried cutting the emerald.”</p><p>“How’d it go?” Jigen jokingly asks.</p><p>“We are still stuck in the time loop.” Goemon answers in the most deadpan tone possible.</p><p>“So let’s have fun with it, shall we?” Lupin looks at his friends, cat smile and all. “Jigen and I found out that we’re basically consequence free. Nobody’s gonna remember what we did except us and stuff like getting injured or having hangovers, by the time you wake up, they’re <em> gone-- </em>” </p><p>“Skip to the end.” Fujiko interrupts.</p><p>“Why not live our best lives and take advantage of this time loop?” Lupin continues, “We can be living like billionaires tomorrow and have a money bin with cash to swim in like that rich duck from <em> DuckTales.” </em></p><p>Silence falls as they think about Lupin’s idea. It goes on for a while.</p><p>“Yesterday,” Fujiko finally breaks the silence, “I saw an armored truck delivering money to a jewelry store.”</p><p>The gang look at each other with devious smiles, knowing where the conversation is headed.</p><p>“Although we’d have to spend all that money in one day once we steal it.” Jigen clarifies with the rest.</p><p>Fujiko adds in, “And if we don’t, we can steal it again.”</p><p>“Let’s study the routes of the truck and maybe go around town to see what else happens on this day. You never know, something eventful might have happened.” Lupin says with a huge cat smile on his face, but the smile falls a bit. “Now eat the damn food I cooked for you all.”</p>
<hr/><p>Days, or maybe even weeks pass, and the gang puts their plan into motion. They’re seated outside a cafe in front of the store.</p><p>“Isn’t it a lovely day?” Fujiko asks as she takes a bite of the cake she’s eating. </p><p>“It sure is. ...The clouds cover the sun at this <em> exact </em>moment.” Jigen looks away from the newspaper he’s reading and looks at the now cloudy sky. </p><p>“That baby behind Lupin starts to cry.” Goemon says, unbreaking from his meditation while Lupin puts on a pair of earphones to drown out the baby crying.</p><p>Lupin looks at his watch. “Fortunately I don’t have to wear these earphones for long. The truck arrives in three, two...one!” As soon as he says one, a truck parks right across them. “Okay, Fuji-cakes, you’re up!” </p><p>Fujiko walks up to the men driving the truck, looking confused, and takes her phone out. “Excuse me, would any of you <em> handsome </em>gentlemen help me look for this restaurant? I’m supposed to meet my friend there.” The men couldn’t resist her charm and start giving her directions.</p><p>While that’s happening, Goemon sneaks up to the vehicle and cuts the side open. Lupin leaves the payment of their snacks on the table and him and Jigen simply walk up to the hole Goemon cut and grabbed as many bags as they can and placed them inside the Fiat. </p><p>“Are you sure this is gonna work this time?” Jigen asks quietly while loading the bags of cash in the car.</p><p>“Sure, we failed the first three attempts, but fourth time’s the charm, right?” Lupin <em> quietly </em>answers back.</p><p>“Not in Japanese superstition.” Goemon replies back with Jigen nodding and pointing at Goemon. He agrees with the samurai.</p><p>Lupin rolls his eyes at this. “Have a little faith, would ya?” He signals the two men to enter the Fiat and be ready to drive away. He runs in front of Fujiko and gives her a thumbs up and runs back to the car.</p><p>“Thank you for showing me the directions.” Fujiko winks at them and blows a kiss before walking away. She enters the Fiat and the four drive away with the bags of money.</p><p>“You are right, Lupin! Fourth time’s the charm!” Jigen laughs. “We’re millionaires!”</p><p>“At least for today.” Goemon reminds him that the money will only last them today.</p><p>Lupin turns around so he could face Goemon. “You don’t have to be a killjoy about it.” </p><p>Goemon shrugs his comment off. </p><p>Jigen drives them back to the hideout and they split the money four-ways. After splitting the money, the gang are off their merry way to spend it. After spending their money to their hearts’ content, for a job well done, Lupin treats everyone to a fancy dinner at an expensive Italian restaurant and even invites Zenigata to dine with them. Lupin, Jigen, and Fujiko use their money to buy the fanciest clothes money has to offer. Goemon’s content with his traditional kimono.</p>
<hr/><p>The thieves arrive at the restaurant in a lavish Rolls Royce car and make their way into the place. While they’re making their way to their table, they hear a voice call out to them. “LUPIIIN!” They turn around and it’s old man Zenigata, wearing his usual detective clothes.</p><p>Lupin smiles at the inspector. “Pops! I’m glad you made it!”</p><p>“Lupin, what’s all this?” Zenigata is a bit bewildered at the sudden invite to an extremely expensive restaurant.</p><p>“We’re living our best lives, Pops.” Lupin happily replies, leading the group to their table.</p><p>“How did you get this much money?” Zenigata looks at the menu, almost getting a mini-heart attack by just reading the prices.</p><p>“Eh, that’s trivial stuff. Order anything you want! It’s on me.” Lupin says.</p><p>“Did you steal money?” Zenigata asks.</p><p>“Yes.” Goemon replies back.</p><p>Jigen swoops in to save the conversation before Zenigata gets the handcuffs out, “<em> Technically, </em>yes. However, since the day repeats itself, it’s like we’ve never stolen anything.”</p><p>“Don’t worry, I’m not gonna arrest you. There’s no point in it, anyway.” Zenigata sighs. “I learned that the hard way when I arrested Lupin in the first loop.”</p><p>A waiter approaches their table, ready to take their orders. </p><p>“One order of <em> tagliata </em> please and one glass of red wine please!” Lupin says. </p><p>“Wait, that sounds good. Make that two orders of steak and one glass of your finest bourbon.” Jigen adds.</p><p>Fujiko looks around the menu, “I’ll just have <em> b</em><em>ucatini all’Amatriciana, </em>please.” She looks at Goemon, who doesn’t seem to know what he wants. “How about you, Goemon?”</p><p>Goemon shrugs. Fujiko looks back at the waiter. “He’ll have what I’m having.”</p><p>Zenigata calls the waiter’s attention. “<em> Un risotto all’aragosta, per favore! Grazie!” </em> </p><p>The waiter leaves with their orders and the gang looks at Zenigata in awe. Pops notices the group looking at him. “Was it something I said?”</p><p>“Since when did you speak Italian?” Goemon questions the inspector.</p><p>“Oh! Since the time loop started. I decided to do something productive since I figured we might be here for a long time.” Zenigata replies back, sounding pretty happy with himself.</p><p>“That’s why we haven’t seen you in weeks!” Jigen exclaimed.</p><p>“So, what else have you been up to, Pops? Besides learning Italian.” Lupin inquires.</p><p>“I’ve been learning how to play the piano.” Zenigata proudly declares.</p><p>“How’s that working out?” Lupin teasingly asks. </p><p>“Not good,” Pops mumbled. “But hopefully, I’ll get better with it.”</p><p>Their food arrives and the group eat, drink, and chat happily; content with each other’s company. They may be stuck in a time loop, but at least they’re not going through it alone.</p><p>The night ends and Lupin’s phone alarms, waking him up. He looks at his phone. Time: 7:30am. Date: February 2nd.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Fair warning: the next chapter is going to get a biiiiit angsty.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Night Will Come</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warning: This chapter has suicide ideation, a depiction of suicide, and implications of self-harm.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Weeks eventually turn to months and the gang has done all they’ve ever wanted without getting the consequences of their actions. Their fun has turned into unhappiness. Every single day has become more and more routine. What was initially enjoyable turns into misery, especially for Lupin, who used to live for what tomorrow would bring. Now he knows what tomorrow would bring and it’s become less exciting for him. </p><p>The Lupin Gang doesn’t want to admit it, but there are moments in their repetitive days where they just get on each other’s nerves for no apparent reason, except that the time loop has put them in a state of irritation and annoyance. Most of the days, the gang splits up, just to get away from their, perhaps inevitable, collapse as a group.</p><p>When there are no heists or pranks to be pulled, the thieves are stuck in the same routine: Jigen watches the same episode of <em> Wheel of Fortune </em>and yells out the right answers to the contestants who can’t hear him, Goemon leaves the hideout to train somewhere, Fujiko decides to help Zenigata with his Italian, and Lupin goes around town helping people who are in need of assistance. </p><p>In one of the group’s dinners, Lupin looks out of it: completely spaced out and barely touching his food. </p><p>“Lupin?” Jigen tries to get his friend’s attention. “Hey, Lupin! Are you okay?”</p><p>The thief snaps back to reality and utters in frustration: “It’s all fucking the same. And I’m fucking sick of it.” He gets up from the table and grabs the car keys. “I’ll be back. I’ll just go for a drive to get my mind off things.” He storms out of the hideout and drives to an open location where he could see the night sky and the stars that blanket it. </p><p><em> Am I falling apart and losing it? </em> Lupin wonders to himself. He takes out his gun and looks at it. <em> Will I get out of the loop if I…? </em> He thinks about it for a minute and nods his head. He points the gun to his head. <em> BANG! </em></p>
<hr/><p>Lupin’s phone alarms, waking him up. He doesn’t even have to look at his phone to know the time and date. It’s 7:30am and it’s still February 2nd. He yells out in frustration and leaves the hideout. </p><p>More days pass and the group has noticed Lupin’s tendency to leave the hideout and never come back until the next day. Jigen gets curious about what the hell his friend has been doing recently. He follows him to a secluded area; Lupin is too distracted and preoccupied with his thoughts to notice Jigen following him. The thief stops at a spot and gets his gun out.</p><p>“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Jigen asks out loud, surprising Lupin. </p><p>“Nothing.” Lupin quickly hides his gun. </p><p>“Come on, man. You can talk to me.” </p><p>Lupin looks at Jigen and considers talking to him, but shakes his head. “There’s nothing to talk about, Jigen.” </p><p>“Are you sure?”</p><p>“Yes.” Lupin continues walking. “Continue watching your game shows or something. I’ll be back for lunch. Bye.” </p><p><em>Maybe he needs space? </em>Jigen thinks to himself and lets his friend be. While walking back to the hideout, he hears a gunshot coming from Lupin’s direction. He runs back to Lupin and sees his friend on the ground, bleeding from his abdomen. “What the hell, Lupin?!” He puts pressure on the wound, but there’s too much blood coming out. “I’m taking you to the hospital.” He carries him to the car and drives to the hospital. On the way there, Lupin loses consciousness.</p>
<hr/><p>For the first time in months, Lupin wakes up in a different place. “I don’t know this ceiling,” he murmurs to himself. The door opens and his friends enter the hospital room with flowers and a balloon. “What’s all this?” He looks confused.</p><p>Fujiko sets the flowers they bought on a table and ties the balloon they got on the bed. “Jigen said to rush to the hospital. He said you were badly injured.”</p><p>Lupin looks down, his face looks ashamed. “Y-yeah…”</p><p>“Is there something wrong, Lupin?” Goemon asks, worried. </p><p>Just as Lupin’s about to speak, a knock is heard on the door. The door opens, revealing Zenigata carrying a small teddy bear wearing a beret. </p><p>Jigen looks at the toy Zenigata brought with him. “Why do you have a stuffed animal with you, Pops?” </p><p>“I saw this bear in the gift shop and it reminded me of Lupin.”</p><p>“Is it because I’m French and we French love our berets?” Lupin jokes with the inspector.</p><p>Zenigata looks embarrassed. “N-no...” </p><p>Lupin chuckles and reaches for the stuffed animal. “I needed a laugh, so thank you for that.” He looks at the teddy bear. “I’m calling you Lupin the 4th.”</p><p>“Why are you here, Lupin?” Goemon looks serious. “Did somebody attack you?”</p><p>“You guys want the truth?” Lupin sits up. “Truth is, this time loop just <em> broke </em>me. I’ve started feeling numb and emotionless and I thought that killing myself would be a way out of the loop. But after god knows how many attempts I pulled, I just--”</p><p>“You don’t have to continue.” Jigen can’t hear more about Lupin’s pain. He doesn’t want to admit it, but the thought of his best friend killing himself <em> multiple </em>times is enough to make his heart hurt. He’s sure the others feel the same way too. He regains his composure. “But I have a question: wouldn’t it be easier and less painful if you aimed for your head instead of your stomach?”</p><p>“Yes.” Lupin answers without hesitation. “It would be faster. But I guess I aimed for my abdomen instead, because a part of me was scared that the loop would somehow end and that I wouldn’t be able to see you guys again.”</p><p>A moment of silence arises after Lupin explained how he got there, but the silence isn’t an awkward one. It’s more of a kind of relief silence that their friend is okay.</p><p>“Would it be too cheesy to ask for a group hug?” Lupin asks.</p><p>“I’ll allow it, just this once.” Jigen replies, gesturing everyone to come in for a group hug. </p><p>After they hug it out, Lupin looks at his friends, determined. “After today, we’re going to find out how to break the time loop once and for all. I don’t care if it takes us years to find out how. We are going to do it.”</p><p>“Hell yeah, we are!” Jigen exclaims. </p>
<hr/><p>After a few hours of chatting and enjoying each other’s company, Zenigata, Fujiko, and Goemon leave the hospital room, but Jigen stays with Lupin for the night.</p><p>“Jigen, are you awake?” Lupin looks at the gunman sitting on a chair. </p><p>“What is it, Lupin?”</p><p>“Thanks for saving me today.”</p><p>Jigen looks at Lupin and says in a very serious tone: “You dumb fuck, if you have any problems, you can just talk to me.”</p><p>Lupin laughs, “Duly noted.”</p><p>The night ends and Lupin’s phone alarms, waking him up. He looks at his phone and thinks to himself: <em> Time: 7:30am. Date: February 2nd--but not for long. </em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Seeing You</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warning: This chapter has talks of killing oneself and suicide ideation.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lupin slams a pile of books on the dining table where the rest are eating their breakfasts. Jigen grabs one of the books and shows it to Lupin, very confused. “<em> Quantum Physics for Dummies </em>? Really?”</p><p>“Look, this time loop could either be science based or it could be magic and we’re at the mercy of a wizard, but I’d like to think it’s the former.” Lupin gets his laptop and plays a video of a professor discussing the topic at hand. “Now everyone watch!” </p><p>While the gang studies quantum physics, Lupin visits the cave’s treasure room on some days, studying it intently. Sometimes, he brings gadgets and gizmos with him to see if any of them would work against the cave’s mystical powers.</p><p>Weeks later, the group is tired from carefully studying all that science.</p><p>“I’m friggin’ exhausted.” Jigen lights a cigarette. He needs this cigarette break.</p><p>Fujiko looks at Jigen, “Give me a cigarette too.” He gives her a stick and lights it up for her. “Thanks.”</p><p>“My brain is gonna burst if I take a glance at another book.” Lupin complains, throwing away one of the books away from him. </p><p>“Are we giving up?” Goemon closes one of the science books he’s reading.</p><p>“No.” Lupin answers him, “We’re just gonna take a break. We all need it after five weeks of studying non-stop.” He gets up from the couch and heads for the door.</p><p>“Where are you going?” </p><p>“Back to the cave, dear Jigen.”</p><p>“What happened to taking a break?” </p><p>“I’m gonna take one soon, but I just wanna visit it, okay?”</p><p>“Suit yourself.” Jigen turns on the TV and wouldn’t you know it? It’s the same episode of <em> Wheel of Fortune </em>he’s been watching for almost a year. He looks at Fujiko and Goemon, “You guys really need to watch this episode. It gets hilarious towards the end.”</p><p>Lupin sighs and looks at his friends with the most tender, non-cat smile his face could muster. He exits the hideout and drives to the cave. He takes a deep breath and walks to the treasure room. He goes around the room, but it’s nothing he hasn’t seen before. </p><p>He walks up to the Emerald of Time. “Why did you put us in this scenario?” He talks to the emerald like it’s a person. “Is there a reason? Do we have to do good deeds in order to get out this time loop? Or is it because you wanted my friends and I to spend the entire year together?” He realizes he’s talking to a gem and sighs. “I don’t even know why I’m talking to you. I guess I just came here to vent.” Before Lupin leaves, he grabs two gold coins from the room. “It’s gonna come back to you anyway.”</p><p>He drives back to the hideout, prepared to take a break from all the studying. Lupin walks to his room, puts the gold coins he’s stolen on the side drawer, and lies on his bed. He takes a nap, but oversleeps, waking up the next day instead.</p><hr/><p>Lupin’s phone alarms, waking him up. “Yup. Still February 2nd,” he mutters to himself. “I better get prepared for more studying.” He gets up from his bed, but notices something that wasn’t there before the past days: the gold coins he’s stolen from the cave are still with him. He looks at his phone to make sure it’s still February 2nd. It is. </p><p>Lupin runs to Jigen’s room, as usual, and opens the door. “Jigen, what date is it?”</p><p>“It’s February 2nd.” Jigen yells back at him. “Now let me sleep.” </p><p>The thief closes the door and runs to the calendar hanging in the kitchen to check the date. It’s still the same date they’ve been living in for the past (almost a) year. “Then how do I still have the coins?” He asks himself.</p><p>With no time to waste, Lupin grabs the coins and drives to the cave. He runs to the treasure room, shows the coins he stole, and yells at the emerald: “Are you playing a sick joke on me? How the hell did those coins appear on my table? How fucking dare you give me a tiny bit of hope that we got out of this loop?” He takes a deep breath and sighs. “I’m yelling at a stupid emerald. Have I lost it again?”</p><p>He drives back to the hideout, frustrated and bewildered at what happened. He walks past the others and fails to notice that Zenigata is with them. He does a double take and walks back to the living room. “Why’s Pops here?”</p><p>Zenigata looks up from the book he’s reading, “They told me to study quantum physics too.”</p><p>“The more, the merrier, I guess?” Lupin shrugs and walks back to his room. </p><p>Jigen can sense something’s wrong with his friend and follows him to his room. “You okay?” </p><p>“No. I think I’m losing it again.” </p><p>Jigen looks worried. “What made you say that?”</p><p>“You have to believe me when I tell you this, okay?” Lupin gets the coins out of his pocket. “Last night, I stole these from the cave and put them on my drawer. This morning, when I woke up, they were still there. That’s why I asked you what date it was today.”  </p><p>Jigen takes in what Lupin had to say. “Come on, we’re going back to the cave.” </p><p>“But I just got home.” </p><p>“Okay, fine, I’ll go to the cave and test it out myself.”</p><p>Lupin takes his laptop out to research more about the cave, “Good luck to you.”</p><p>Jigen makes his trip quick. He runs to the treasure room, grabs a ruby, and drives back to the hideout. After reaching the hideout, he walks to Lupin’s room and tosses the gem at the thief. “See if that one stays with you or if it disappears the next morning.”</p><p>“Aye, aye, sir!” Lupin replies, not looking away from his laptop.</p><p> After another day of intense studying, the night’s about to end and Lupin places the ruby Jigen got beside the coins.</p><hr/><p>Lupin’s phone alarms, waking him up. He checks if the ruby is with the coins. It isn’t. He runs to Jigen’s room to tell him the news. This revelation makes them confused even more.</p><p>“Have you tried going to the cave around the same time you stole those coins?” Jigen asks.</p><p>A sudden burst of realization hits Lupin. “Holy shit. Jigen, you’re a genius!”</p><p>Lupin waits for nightfall. He travels to the cave again and enters the treasure room. He looks at his watch and waits for 7:58 to hit, which was the time he stole the coins. When the clock strikes 7:58, he starts to shoot small rocks and the walls to see if it would stick the next day. He also steals the ruby Jigen got last night.</p><p>The next day, Lupin wakes up and sees the ruby stuck with him. <em> Okay, this is progress. </em>He thinks to himself. He visits the cave again to see if the mess he made stuck. Upon entering the room, he looks around and smiles at the emerald. “I figured you out.” </p><p>Lupin drives back and calls everyone, including Zenigata, for a meeting in the living room. “Okay, I think I have everything figured out.” </p><p>They all look at the thief in shock and curiosity. Lupin smiles at them and continues talking, “Imagine this: we are trapped in a box of energy. We get out of it by escaping the box in the 60 seconds it takes to travel through the loop itself.” Lupin looks at his friends, who are very confused at what he just said. “Did none of you actually pay attention to what we studied for nearly six whole weeks?”</p><p>Awkward whistling and looking away from Lupin ensues. </p><p>The thief groans. “In layman’s terms: in the treasure room, there is a 60 second window where time resets. Get it?” </p><p>“And how do we escape the ‘box’?” Zenigata asks.</p><p>Lupin’s face of irritation turns to a grimace. “Don’t hate me for this, okay? We are going to escape by blowing ourselves up in the room during that window.” </p><p>“Fuck no!” Jigen yells. “If you’re feeling suicidal again, just tell us, man.”</p><p>“I’m not! I swear, this will work!” Lupin retorts back. </p><p>Silence goes around the room for a few minutes, and it’s the kind of silence where people don’t want to talk to each other, because they’re too stressed at the situation at hand. </p><p>Goemon, thankfully, breaks the tension with a very important question: “And what happens if it doesn’t work?”</p><p>“If it doesn’t, there will be two outcomes: we get revived and continue living this loop or we die.” Lupin gives out a sad smile. “I personally prefer the first outcome, having personally experienced the second one far too many times.”</p><p>Fujiko stands up from the couch. “I say we try it. What have we got to lose, anyway?”</p><p>“Our lives, maybe.” Jigen snaps back.</p><p>Lupin grabs Jigen’s arm and looks at Goemon and Fujiko, “One moment, please.” He looks at Zenigata, <em> “Un momento, per favore.”  </em>He drags his friend to his room and closes the door. “What the hell, man? Don’t you wanna get out of the loop?”</p><p>“I do!”</p><p>“So, I found a way out! Why don’t you want to try it?” </p><p>Jigen lowers his voice a bit, “Because it involves dying, Lupin. And I don’t want to see you dying again.”</p><p>“Technically, we’d all be dead.” Lupin clarifies with him. “Look, I’m sorry for the ‘incident’ that happened last month. I was selfish and I only thought of myself and--”</p><p>Jigen interrupts him. “You don’t have to apologize for it. I don’t blame you at all.” </p><p>“Really?” Lupin is confused, but lets his friend continue.</p><p>“I would’ve done the same thing too, but now, faced with the possibility of actually doing it...” </p><p>Lupin looks Jigen dead in the eyes. “We are gonna make out of this alive and we will break out of this time loop.”</p><p>Jigen gives in. “Fine. But if we die, I’m following your ghost to wherever the hell it’s going and annoy you forever.”</p><p>“Deal.” Lupin and Jigen shake on it.</p><p>They walk out of the room and Jigen announces to everyone in the living room that they’re doing Lupin’s crazy idea.</p><hr/><p>The clock hits 7pm and the Lupin Gang and Zenigata drive to the cave and walk to the treasure room with explosives in hand. Lupin looks at his watch and prepares to countdown to 7:58pm.</p><p>Lupin looks at his friends, looking like it’s the last time he’ll ever see them again, “Guys, if this doesn’t work, I’m so happy that I got to be friends with you.” As the thief counts down to their denouement, the group starts to hold each other’s hands. If they’re going to die tonight, at least they die together.</p><p>“A few more seconds until 7:58.” Lupin looks up from his watch and looks back at his friends again. “Nice working with you all.” </p><p>The group share one last smile to each other, but it’s Jigen who makes the unexpected final words: “See you on the other side, you fuckers.” The group laughs at the unexpected sentence.</p><p>7:58pm. A loud explosion can be heard coming from the cave.</p><hr/><p>Lupin’s phone alarms, waking him up. He looks at his phone. Time: 7:30am. Date: February 3rd. He does a double take and looks at the date. He gets up from his bed and runs to Jigen’s room.</p><p>“JIGEN!” Lupin <em> slams </em>Jigen’s door open, jolting the gunman awake. “Look at the date!”</p><p>Jigen rolls over to get his phone and looks at the date. “February 3rd?” It takes him a while to process what he’s just read. “Holy shit. February 3rd!”</p><p>Lupin lets out a huge sigh of relief and laughs. “It finally happened. Tomorrow is finally here!”</p><p>As the gang packs their belongings from the hideout they called home for a year, Lupin proposes they go around town one last time, to see what tomorrow brings. Finally experiencing the next day is such a shock to them; they don’t quite know how to react, but it’s fine by them. </p><p>At night, they set up camp in an open area where they could see the stars perfectly. </p><p>“Today was such a good day, I hope it never ends.” Lupin whispers to himself, hoping no one would hear him. </p><p>Unfortunately for him, Jigen heard him and gave him a death glance. “Don’t you start, Lupin.”</p><p>In the distance, there’s some yelling going on. They look behind them and see Zenigata running towards them, yelling out: “LUPIIIIIIN!”</p><p>“Pops?! How’d you know we were here?” Lupin asks.</p><p>“I always know where to find you, Lupin!” Zenigata takes out a pair of handcuffs. “You’re under arrest!”</p><p>Lupin looks <em> done. </em>“Come on, I just saved us all from an infinite time loop. Let’s call a truce and resume this tomorrow.” </p><p>The others agree with him. Zenigata relents and puts back the handcuffs in his pocket. The group spend the night stargazing and planning for the next day. After all, tomorrow finally arrived. And it will continue to do so.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And that was that. :) Hope you enjoyed it!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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